After the boobies had left us, we faw no more birds till we-
'—r'— 1 got nearly abreaft of Madagafcar, where in latitude 27 01 Sf
we faw an albatrofs, and after that time we faw them every
day in great numbers, with birds of feveral other forts, particularly
one about as big as a duck, of a very dark brown
colour, with a yellowifli bill. Thefe birds became more numerous
as we approached the Ihore, and as foon as we got
into foundings we faw gannets, which we continued to fee
as long as we were upon the bank which ftretches off An-
guillas to the diftance of forty leagues, and extends along
the Ihore to the eaftward, from Cape Falfe, according to
fome charts,, one hundred, and fixty leagues. The real extent
of this bank is not exact 1 y known it is however ufeful
as a direction to Ihipping when to haul in, in order to.make
the land:.
While we- lay here,- the Houghton Indiaman failed for
England, who, during her flay in India, loft by ficknefs between
thirty and forty men; and when flie left the Cage had
many in a helplefs condition with the' feurvy. Other fhips
fuffered in the fame proportion, who had been little more
than twelve months abfent from E n g la n d o u r fufferings
therefore were comparatively light, confidering that we had
been abfent near three times as long;
Having lain here to recover the fick, procure flores, and
perform feveral neceffary operations upon the Ihip and rig-
Aprii. ging, till the 13th of April, I then got all the fick on board,
Saturday 13* feveral of whom were ftill in a dangerous ftate, and having
Sanday 14. taken leave of the Governor, I unmoored the next morning,
and got ready to fail.
The Cape o f Good Hope has been fo often deferibed, and
isfo well known in Europe, that I fhall mention only a few
particulars,
particulars, which in other relations are. omitted or mifre-
prefented.
Notwithftanding all that has beenfaid to the contrary, nocountry
that we faw during the voyage makes a more forlorn
appearance; or is in reality a more fterile d.efart. Tlie
land over the-Gape; which eonftitutes the peninfula formed
by Table Bay on tbe-north, and Falfe Bay on the fouth, con-
fi-fts of high-mountains, altogether naked and defolate: the
land behind thefe to the eaft, which may be confidered as-
the ifthmus, is a plain of vail extent, confifting almoft wholly
of a light kind of fea fand, which ■ produces nothing but
heath, and is, utterly incapable, of cultivation. All the
fpots. that will, admit of improvement, which together bear
about the fame proportion to the whole as one to one thou-
fand, are laid out in vineyards,orchards, and kitchen grounds
and moil of thefe little-fpots-lie at a eonfiderable diftance
from.each other. There is alfo the greateft reafon to believe;.
that in the interior parts- o f this country, that which is capable
of cultivation does not- bear a greater proportion to
that which is incorrigibly barren; for- the Dutch told us,
that they had fettlements eight and twenty days journey up
the country, a.diftance equal to at leaft nine hundred miles,
from which they bring provifions to the Cape by land; fo
that it feems. reafonable to conclude that provifions are not
to be had within alefs compafs. While, we.were at tlie.Cape,
a. farmer, came thither, from the, country, at the; diftance of
fifteen days journey; and,brought his young children with -
him.. We were furprifed.tit this, and afked.him, if it would ;
not have been better to have left them with his. next neighbour:
Neighbour! faid theman, I have no.neigh hour within
left than five days journey of me. Surely the- country muft
be deplorably barren in which thofe,who fettle only to raife
provifions >